When the New York Giants signed wide receiver Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract last season, expectations were understandably high. Many assumed he’d come in and secure the No. 1 role and become a dynamic factor for quarterback Daniel Jones & Co.
That did not happen.
Golladay’s first season with the Giants was marred by injury and inconsistency. He finished the year with 37 receptions for 521 yards and, perhaps most importantly, zero touchdowns.
It was a far cry from what the Giants thought they were getting in the 6-foot-4 contested catch master. Of course, Joe Judge and Jason Garrett’s restrictive vanilla approach certainly didn’t help.
But here in 2022, under a new regime that consists of head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, little has seemed to have changed. Throughout the spring and summer, Golladay has failed to create separation in practice and his performance has been underwhelming at best.
Even during the team’s first preseason game against the New England Patriots last Thursday, Golladay displayed more of those same issues. He seemed to be running at half speed, showed little effort and then dropped a potential touchdown.
Could Golladay’s issues stem from a hip surgery in 2020? Although the Giants (under then-GM Dave Gettleman) seemed to dismiss that, it remains the leading theory.
I’m skeptical. I’ve heard from someone who worked on his surgery that his hip will never be the same. They told the Giants this before they agreed to sign him. They signed him anyway.
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) August 12, 2022
Whatever the reason for Golladay’s struggles, the Giants need him to figure it out and turn things around. He’s far too valuable to the team and far too costly just to be a warm body on the field. Especially given that defenders have no fear of his straight-line speed and taken to blanketing him like a fresh coat of snow.
In order for this Giants offense to truly function at its peak — whatever that may be — they desperately need Golladay to factor in. And if he doesn’t, he needs to sit on the bench and clear the way for someone else . . . his salary be damned.
